Does the Offer Still Stand
by DisneyCastleFriends18
Summary: What if Kate had the ability to ask Castle if she could still go to the Hamptons with him at the end of Season 2, even if/when Gina shows up? Hope you enjoy.
**A/N:** This is the 4th Castle FanFiction story I have written. Thank you to those of you who have been reading my stories. It means a lot to me. It has been a while since I last uploaded a story, and thought today would be appropriate to upload a new one today. Not only is it a Castle Monday, it is the LAST Castle Monday. Castle has been the reason why I looked forward to Monday Nights, and I will no longer have that. Thank you Andrew Marlowe and the cast and crew of Castle for making these last 8 years wonderful.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Castle. Castle belongs to the wonderful Andrew Marlowe and ABC.

"Does the Offer Still Stand?"

It was the last case the team was working on before Castle was supposed to be away for the summer to do some writing. The team at the 12th were having a little party for Castle before he left. While Castle, Captain Montgomery, Lanie, Ryan, and Esposito were sitting around the table in the conference room, Kate Beckett was somewhere else in the precinct breaking up with Detective Tom Demming.

After Kate broke up with Demming, she went over to the conference room and asked if she could borrow Castle for a minute. Beckett and Castle were standing in the bull pen, while the others stood inside the conference room looking out the window, watching the two of them. Rick and Kate looked at each other for a while before either one of them could speak. Castle was the first one to break the silence. "What's up Beckett?"

Kate pushes a piece of hair behind her ear, "Um, I was just wondering…" Kate hesitated not knowing if she should continue. Castle didn't push her to continue, she would say what she wanted in her own time. "I was wondering if the offer to go with you to the Hamptons was still good."

Before Castle could reply, Gina, Castle's publisher walked up. "Ready to go Ricky?"

Kate's face had dropped and her shoulders slumped. After Rick had looked over at Gina he looked back over at Kate and noticed she had deflated. Rick felt bad for her, since she looked like she wanted to go, but was too scared to ask. She had hesitated to ask.

Castle looked back at Gina, "Um, actually no."

Kate and Gina looked at Castle in shock. Gina answers first. "What? You're not ready to go?"

"No, I am, but… I'm not ready to go with you."

Gina, not understanding, "Excuse me? What do you mean you're not ready to go with me? I'm your girlfriend and publisher."

"You may be my publisher, Gina, but you are not my girlfriend."

"But, I am your girlfriend, Ricky", Gina said while trying to link arms with Castle.

"No, Gina, you are not my girlfriend… Not anymore." Gina stepped back from Castle not knowing what to say next. "We're done Gina. I think it would be best if we kept it a professional relationship. You just need to be my publisher, nothing more."

Gina, upset and shocked, didn't know what to do next. "Um, well, what? Are you just going to take her?" Gina used her whole hand and arm to reference Kate.

With a smile on Castle's face he said, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I was planning on taking Kate to the Hamptons."

Kate just stood there, watching the two, not wanting to interrupt the conversation.

Before Gina leaves for the last time, "You won't be getting any writing done if she goes with you."

"Well, the way I see it Gina, I wouldn't be getting much writing done with you there either. All we would be doing is fighting."

"Ok, well, if that's the way you feel, so be it." Without a goodbye, Gina turns and walks away. When Gina gets halfway to the elevator she says over her shoulder, "I expect to have the next chapter in 3 days Rick. No exceptions."

With that Gina leaves the precinct. Castle steps closer to Kate, "Are you really sure you want to go Kate?"

"Yes, Castle. I really want to go."

With a smile on his face, "Ok, let's go get you packed so we can head out."

Kate picks up her things from her desk and the two of them walk to the elevator. Montgomery, Ryan, Esposito, and Lanie watch Rick and Kate with huge smiles on their faces.

 _In the Hamptons_

Castle drove himself and Kate to the Hamptons in his Mercedes. When they drive up to the house, Kate looks out her window and her jaw drops. She can't believe how big Castle's house is. Once Castle stops the car and turns it off, he gets out on his side, walks around to the other side to open the passenger door for Kate.

Kate gets out of the car and is completely speechless. She just looks at the house and around the property not knowing what to say. "Wow", the word barely comes out as a whisper. While Kate is soaking in her surroundings, Castle goes to unlock the front door to the house. "Wow, Castle. Are you rich or something?"

Coming back from unlocking the front door Castle answers, "Well, I don't have as much as James Patterson or J.K Rowling, but I make it work." Kate looks over at Castle and smiles. "Come on, let's grab our bags and head inside."

Castle and Kate bring their bags inside the house. Before taking their bags to their respected rooms, Castle gives Kate a little tour. During the tour, Kate can't believe how amazing the house is. If she thought it was big on the outside, it seemed even bigger on the inside. After the tour, Kate was a little tired, so she grabbed her bags, took it to her room and took a little nap while Castle got some dinner ready for the two of them.

Castle was still in the middle of making dinner when Kate came back downstairs. "Wow, something smells good."

"Oh, yeah, it's just dinner. It should be ready in about 10 minutes." Kate just gives Castle a nod in understanding. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Sure, Castle. Wine sounds great."

"Ok, one glass of wine coming right up."

10 minutes later, dinner was ready and the two of them enjoyed it in comfortable silence. After their dinner Kate had offered to help clean up, but Castle told her that she was the guest and that she should just go and relax because he had it all covered. Kate had poured herself another glass of wine before she went to go stand out on the back porch listening to the sound of the water.

Once Castle had finished cleaning up after dinner, he grabbed himself a glass of wine and joined Kate out on the back porch. Kate heard Castle approach from behind. "It's so quiet and peaceful out here, Castle."

"Hm, yeah. It's one of the reasons why I love coming up here. Whether if it's because I need to write, or if I just want to get out of the city." Castle stands next to Kate and they are both leaning against the railing. "It's my home away from home."

After a few minutes of silence, both enjoying the peace and quiet, "Castle?"

"Hm?"

"Can I ask you something?" Kate pushes a piece of hair behind her ear.

Turning slightly to face Kate, "Of course. You know you can ask me anything."

With slight hesitation she asks, "Why did you ask me to come up here with you?" She looks over at Castle who has confusion written on his face. "I mean, if you were coming up here to write, why did you ask me to come?"

Castle takes a moment to gather his thoughts before answering her question. "I did come up here to write, but I also wanted to share this with you."

"Why?"

"Because, I wanted to get to know you better. I want to get to know you outside of the precinct."

With a slight smirk on her face, "Castle, we hang out outside of the precinct all the time."

"Yeah, I guess. But, not like this."

Kate, a little confused, "What do you mean?"

Castle takes a deep breath, "Well, when we hang out back home, we're friends, right?" Kate nods. "But here, I was hoping…"

"Hoping what, Castle?" Kate tries to give Rick some encouragement.

After taking a deep breath to get his nerves under control, "I was hoping to maybe become more."

Kate is a little taken aback and now she has major butterflies in her stomach. She doesn't know how to react to this, let alone know what to say. After staring at each other for, Lord knows how long, she asks, "You… you want to be more?"

"Yeah", Castle answers shyly.

"How… how long have you… felt this way?"

"Well, I originally thought of making you one of my 'conquests' like you had thought, but…"

Getting a little impatient, "How… long... Castle?"

"Since around the time Kyra had returned."

Kate nodded her head understanding the time frame. But, then she hesitates to ask, "Do you love me?"

Without hesitation, "Yes. I love you. In fact… I believe I'm IN love with you."

Kate's jaw drops for the third time that day, "You're in love with me?" Castle nods his head and his eyes drop to look at the ground. Kate takes a step closer to Castle and grabs hold of his elbow to get his attention. When Castle feels Kate grab his elbow he looks into Kate's eyes. When they have made eye contact, "I love you too Castle."

Rick Castle is shocked when he hears Kate Beckett share her feelings. He knows the strong Detective Kate Beckett doesn't share her feelings easily. She keeps her emotions close to the vest. So, Castle has to ask, just to make sure, "Really?"

Kate smiles at him, "Yeah, Castle. I love you. I have loved you since I was 19." She steps closer to Castle so they are practically breathing the same air. "I have been IN love with you since you apologized to me for looking into my mom's case."

Castle had no other words to say except, "Wow." Before either one could say anything else, Castle pressed his lips to hers. In the middle of their kiss, he wraps one arm around her waist to bring her body closer to his. When they are in need of oxygen, they pull away from each other and Rick asks, "So, Kate, what does this mean?"

Beckett sets her wine glass down on the railing and touches her nose to Castle's chin. "I don't know Castle. We both just told each other we love each other."

Castle dips his head down so they are now touching noses. "Yeah, we did. And I would like to give us a try. I know we would be great."

Beckett has the biggest smile on her face, "Yeah, I'd like to give us a try too… I love how much faith you have in us."

"Always Kate. Always."

They kiss each other again before getting wrapped up in each other's arms looking out to the water. The light of the moon shines over the body of water. Tomorrow will be a new day and they will have each other. Always.


End file.
